Earth Day – What is it?

Earth Day was the brain child of US Senator Gaylord Nelson, who had long been troubled that the state of the environment was not an issue in politics. He had noticed evidence of environmental degradation all over the United States and found that citizens were concerned while politicians continued to ignore it. Nelson then got the idea from the students protesting the Vietnam War to organize a huge grassroots protest against what was happening to the environment. Once Nelson announced that Earth Day would be held on April 22, 1970 there was an immediate response from the public and the day was a great success.

Earth Day has been internationally observed since 1990, and has been a day to raise awareness of environmental problems and consider how we can change them. It has become a time to think about how our lifestyles and all of our habits affect the environment.

Earth Day and Food Choice

Everyone eats, so food choices are a big part of each person’s lifestyle. Earth Day is a good time to learn about the environmental and health impacts of our food choices. Many people have taken the day as an opportunity to raise awareness and educate their communities about the global and individual effects of food-related personal habits and the industries connected with those choices. You can organize your own educational event about where your food comes from or make a point to seek out some information for yourself, your family, or some friends.

The Environmental Cost of Meat-Eating

If you are thinking about what you can do to save our environment on Earth Day, think about cutting animal products from your diet! There is no doubt that cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and other animals raised only for slaughter suffer. But you may not have realized that the environment suffers from the farming industry, too.

Raising animals for food is one of the biggest sources of pollution in North America, and a huge drain on resources. In theUS, almost half of the water consumed for all purposes, 80 per cent of agricultural land, and 70 per cent of the grain grown is used to raise animals for food. It certainly makes that vow to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth seem small! To make matters worse, the animals we raise for food also produce more than 100 times the excrement than the human population does, excrement that then flows into our water sources.

It is clear that the animal abuse that sustains meat-eating is related to environmental destruction so, in the end, this behaviour will hurt humans, too. Adopting a plant-based diet may be the best thing you can do for the environment and for humans and animals alike.

To learn more about factory farming, click here (link to factory farming).

Better Health on a Healthy Earth

 Choosing a plant-based diet is not only a question of doing the right thing; there’s a lot to gain from going vegan or vegetarian. Besides being delicious, vegan meals can make you a healthier person, while animal foods are known to contribute to cancer, heart disease, obesity, and many other killers. Vegetarians and vegans have stronger immune systems, lower cholesterol, and on average live six to ten years longer than meat-eaters. There is no question that what you eat will affect the quality of your life, so give some thought to what you consume!